Jesus Culture Sacramento Message of the Week

A disciple of Jesus is generous. Giving is central to the Gospel, so if we are going to be and live like Jesus, it matters how we are giving. Pastor Becky Johnson helps us confront the position of our heart around giving, by teaching us that generosity is connected to how we view God, and our choice to believe that He is enough. You can’t be rich and greedy in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The world defines greatness as being served. We strive for promotion, rank, and seniority, but if we are going to follow Jesus, we have to embrace servanthood. Pastor Becky Johnson reminds us that we are called to challenge conventional standards because we belong to a Kingdom that is not of this world. Living as a servant will change our world, and us.

What do you do when God does you wrong? Pastor Scott Hagan, former President of North Central University and teaching pastor at Destiny Church, shares a powerful and practical message with our Jesus Culture family about the importance of continuing to grow, risk, and expand as leaders. Our success as leaders and followers of Jesus is entirely dependent on our ability to fix our eyes on Jesus and commit to not doing things alone.

If we want to be true disciples of Jesus, we must embrace our identity in Christ as sons and daughters. Out of this identity will flow our choices and daily activity. Pastor Mark Kresge, our Jesus Culture Sacramento Connections Pastor, reminds us that it is hard to please God when we are fixated on pleasing people or have attached our identity to what we do. Jesus gave us a new identity in Him through salvation. We are positioned us to be fully loved and fully adopted by God.

Prayer is a delight and keeps us in constant friendship and dialogue with God. Pastor Michael Brodeur calls us to a life of prayer that is founded on intentionality, connection, and dependency on God. Obligation and duty is not a sustainable reason to pray, because prayer is about building relationship and intimacy with God.

If Jesus did not have a casual relationship with the Word of God, then neither should we. As disciples of Jesus, we must be as disciplined in our reading and know of the Bible, as we are passionate about our faith. Pastor Becky Johnson reminds us that when we are planted in the Word of God, we will face the storms of life with confidence and authority, and everything we do will prosper.

Are we going to be a people that are prepared for the harvest when it comes? Pastor Becky Johnson talks to us about how the strength of our nets is directly connected to our culture of discipleship. God’s goal for us is that we would mature, and discipleship is how we will get there. We are all called to be disciples of Jesus, and make disciples.

Gratitude breaks chains and opens prison doors. Whether we are in a season of warfare and hardships, or breakthrough and satisfaction, Pastor Becky Johnson calls us to be people that choose to remember God’s faithfulness, and declare our thankfulness to Him in all circumstances. Continued freedom in our lives is directly connected to our ability to be grateful.

There is a harvest coming, and it will require every believer to be engaged in discipleship. Pastor Banning Liebscher reminds us that in a world of sin, darkness, and empty promises of fulfillment, the love and salvation of Jesus is the most attractive thing. We must be ready for those that will enter the family of God. Do we have a strong enough discipleship culture to equip new believers, or will our nets break?

When we go through times of frustration, confusion, and stumbling, it’s often not due to the season we are in, but our lack of preparation leading up to it. Pastor Banning reminds us that in order to partner with God in different seasons of our lives, we must be aware of what he is doing and saying to us. When God speaks, He’s inviting you to respond to Him. What should our response to Him be?